The World Series of Poker have revealed the ten finalists in this year’s Poker Hall of Fame nominations. These ten members of the poker community will now be put before a panel of the 18 living members of the Poker Hall of Fame and a 17-strong panel of poker media representatives, who will vote on who they think should be inducted into the class of 2011.
The list of ten finalists, in alphabetical order and not in any way suggesting the number of vites they received from the public to get them to the final stages, are:
Annie Duke
Barry Greenstein
Jennifer Harman-Traniello
Linda Johnson
John Juanda
Marcel Luske
Jack McClelland
Tom McEvoy
Scotty Nguyen
Huckleberry Seed
In order for a player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame they must meet some criteria, such as having played against acknowledged top competition, have done so for high stakes, have played consistently well and gained the respect of their peers and stood the test of time. There is also a relatively new rule dubbed the “Chip Reese Rule” that means nobody under the age of 40 can be inducted.
It is not only poker players who can be inducted but members of the community who have “contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible positive and lasting results,” such as Henry Orenstein the man credited with inventing the hole card camera that revolutionised televised poker.
Last year it was eight-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Erik Seidel and Dan Harrington who were the two men immortalised in the famous hall and it would be anyone’s guess to who the 35-strong panel chooses this year. However, I would be very surprised if Barry Greenstein was not inducted and also Tom McEvoy as both have been touted for a number of years become poker hall of famers.
Those people inducted into the hall will be unveiled at a lavish ceremony at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino on November 8. As soon as we hear more news on this subject we will report right back to you here at Poker Channel Europe.
